Police identify drivers involved in Stonington car crash

Published March 19. 2013 8:00AM | Updated March 19. 2013 8:52AM

Stonington — Police have identified the man who was flown by Life Star helicopter to Rhode Island Hospital Monday afternoon following a two-car accident on Route 1 as 65-year-old Joseph McKernan of Stonington.

Police said Drew Bentz, 60, of Pawcatuck, was drivng a Toyota pick-up truck that was eastbound on Route 1 about 3 p.m. struck the curb, crossed the center line and crashed into McKernan's GMC pick-up truck, which flipped on its side. It took firefighters about 30 minutes to cut the roof off the GMC pickup and extricate him.

A spokesman at Rhode Island Hospital said Tuesday that McKernan has since been treated and released. Police said Bentz refused medical treatment at the scene.

For about an hour Monday afternoon it was extremely difficult for motorists to travel east and west through Pawcatuck because Route 1 was closed as was Pequot Trail where a crash took down a utility pole and power lines.